The Book
by Kaitlinbell
Summary: Paige wasn’t stupid. She had been accused of a great many things in her short life, but being ignorant was never one of those. Which is why Paige was having such a hard time trying to ignore one, Eleanor Nash. Pellie.


Yes, Pellie. First ever femmeslash. But I've come to REALLY adore this pairing so it was inevitable.

Written for my luverly girlfriend whom is the queen of ribbing people and making sure they do what they promise to do, which, hey, I'm not very good at it. Procrastination. ;) Love you like whoa.

Also, about Reunion. Still very much going to be finished. Promise. However, there's a bug going around. It's called writer's block. And it's evil. Bear with me. It's the reason my writing is crappy in this. It should go away soon.

* * *

Paige wasn't stupid. 

She had been accused of a great many things in her short life, but being ignorant was never one of those. Short sighted, rash, sarcastic, sure, easy. But stupid? Never.

Which is why Paige was having such a hard time trying to ignore one, Eleanor Nash.

I mean _honestly_, who did she think she was fooling?

Paige growled under her breath and scrubbed at the imaginary spot on the table harder, looking up through her greasy bangs at the red head three tables away who was flicking through a novel with the intensity one might pay to writing their will, a crease between her brows and her mouth set in a steady line.

However…the effect was slightly spoiled by the fact that the brown eyes never moved. Either that passage was seriously life-altering…or the vampire had honestly lost the last marbles left in her split-end covered head. And she'd never been good at leaving things alone. Rash remember?

"Hey Elvira. Interesting book? What is it? How to Look Like a Zombie in Five Easy Steps? Lord knows that one made the best sellers list."

Brown eyes closed shut tightly, causing the lines on her face to deepen, before they fluttered open again, slowly and carefully, rising to land evenly with hers. Slowly, still keeping eye contact and looking like the saddest china doll Paige had ever seen, Ellie turned the book over, closing it softly. "Yeah," she whispered. "Something like that."

And with that the smaller girl rose gracefully from her seat and walked away…trailing fragile fingers over the glossy tabletop. Before Ellie got very far she stopped, as if hit from a sudden bout of inspiration and turned around, smiling and speaking in a breathy, teasing voice.

"You missed a spot Paige."

Yeah…Paige wasn't stupid. But she was sure as hell missing _something._

* * *

"You do realize that book can't be _that_ interesting. You've brought it with you five days already." 

Ellie, instead of clenching her eyes shut, looked up from the same book with a silly smile, licking a finger and turning the page. No words. There rarely were. Creepy really.

"Are you ever going to tell me what it's about?"

Another soft smile. "Maybe." Breathy. Like always, as if she couldn't breathe correctly. Creepy vampire.

"Fine," I spat, throwing the used cups from the tables more gruffly into the trash bag I was carrying. "It's not like I care." As I was walking toward the counter to pass the bag off to Alex I heard that same childish voice behind me.

"Of course not Paige."

I whirled around. But Ellie was already walking away, worn book in hand.

Creepy really. Damn creepy.

* * *

"How many days does this make?" 

Paige looked up from the popcorn machine and stared at Alex, brows coming together in confusion before noticing the darker girl's gaze firmly planted on the now familiar redhead at the same familiar table.

"Twenty-one," she answered. "Twenty-one days of her coming in, ordering a coffee, and staring at the book. She is such a freak. If she'd just join a circus she might be able to get enough money for some decent clothes. Does she even _know_ the meaning of pastels? Honestly."

"Paige, shut up."

The blonde rolled her eyes but did indeed shut up, resuming her activity of fighting with the popcorn. But it didn't take long for her gaze to float back to the brown eyed girl who looked for all the world as if she had unlocked the secrets of the universe.

That book.

One day, she'd see it. One day.

* * *

"Hi Paige." 

Paige stopped dead in the hallway and turned slowly to find the innocent face of Ellie beside an outright shocked looking Marco with his mouth wide open. Ellie didn't look surprised though. She just smiled and smiled like she was trying to light up the whole of Canada.

The blonde swallowed. "Um…what?"

The redhead only smiled brighter and waved, pulling a little on Marco's shirt as she started walking away. "Just wanted to say good morning."

"Um…yeah," Paige said, utterly amazed and confused and oddly warm. "You…you too."

* * *

Paige sighed heavily and rested her head more comfortably on her hand, staring forward with crossed eyes at the blackboard. This was just crazy, she thought. Absolutely ridiculous. The words cruel and unusual punishment came to mind in fact. The teacher's voice just droned on and on and on. Would the woman just shut up! 

"Mrs. Michalchuk?"

Crap. "Could you tell me the symbolism behind this passage?"

Um…

"Ah yes, I thought so. See me after class please. As we see in chapter 11…"

Why me, Paige's inner voice screamed! Why does it always happen to me! This is what I get for having a mullet in grade ten. The fashion gods despise me. My life sucks.

"We're on page 190," a voice whispered.

Paige looked up from her folded arms quickly and twisted right and left quickly to find the source of the voice, even though she already knew who it was. The voice had been breathy. It had been Ellie.

The other girl sat one desk behind her and to the left, clutching the same book as she always was, and smiling that smile that seemed to keep coming up so often nowadays. Her hair was pushed over one shoulder, baring her slender, delicate neck and for a second Paige felt her eyes stick to that spot, seemingly unable to look away from the fine strain of muscle there…completely dumbfounded.

"What?"

"In the book," she said with a sly grin. "We're on 190. You know, in case she calls on you again."

But…the blonde's thoughts broke in….but why…why are you helping me?

"Um…thanks. I guess"

The redhead ducked her head, and you could almost make out a faint blush on her nose. And oddly enough the word "cute" just appeared out of nowhere in Paige's head, as she stared transfixed at that patch of color, as she had done the girl's neck earlier.

Shaking herself to dispel the odd trance Paige flipped to page 190 and turned her line of vision back to the front of the room.

Funny…the only thing she could think of now was the book.

The book and those smiles.

Somehow they felt important.

* * *

"Marco, hun! Dylan's in his room!" Paige yelled over the loud music, swaying slightly and trying to avoid letting the fast dancing teens around her spill her drink. "He's just getting ready so he should be down in a sec! Of course you can go get him if you like," she teased with a wink. 

The Italian boy blushed and rushed up the stairs after a slur of thanks. Paige smiled after him, feeling a little silly at being so engrossed in her brother's and best guy friend's love life. Turning away from the staircase Paige's gaze caught almost magnetically onto a pair of toffee eyes, the owner of which huddled near the entrance, slightly separated from everyone else and looking very out of place.

Feeling hostess instincts kicking in with vengeance, the blonde swallowed her pride and walked over to her shy guest, leaning one a shoulder against the wall casually. "Hey Elvira. What brings you here?"

Ellie looked up with a bored expression and smiled wanly. "Marco of course."

Paige only nodded and turned to look at the dancing crowd. Somehow…standing here in the shadows with a gothic freak and not being in the center of attention for once…just soaking up the heat from the other girl and humming to songs…well, it wasn't so bad really.

Out of the corner of her eye, Paige took in the other girl who stood watching the gyrating mass in her living room. The girl looked very nice for once, she admitted. Her hair was down and free flowing, ringlets appearing among the straight lines occasionally. A lot of her customary eye liner was missing, and her skin looked a shade or two darker than normal. Instead of the plaid skirts and fishnet she usually wore a dark green hoody and jeans adorned her petite frame.

Paige leaned over closer so Ellie could hear her and whispered into her ear, smiling at the shiver she got in response from her breath tickling the fine hair there. "You look nice."

Strangely enough…the redhead blushed almost dangerously. "Um, thanks. Marco, again."

The blonde laughed. "If Marco can make such a difference on your appearance then I worship him."

What Paige had not prepared herself for was for Ellie to become offended. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing…just…you look nice without all the black. Brighter." The shorter girl smiled very softly at that and wrapped her arms around her middle as she turned back to the crowd.

"Thanks. You look nice too."

"Of course I do."

Ellie smiled. "Yes, of course you do."

* * *

"Paige, don't leave just yet. I'd like to speak with you." 

The blonde girl looked up from where she had been staring out the window and jerked to attention at being addressed by her teacher. "Um…okay. Am I in trouble?" she asked as she drew up to the desk."

"Yes and no, Mrs. Michalchuk. I have a proposition for you. I am willing not to fail you at the moment if you agree to take a tutor of my choosing and bring your grade up in two weeks time."

Paige swallowed and darted her eyes around the room. "I'm…I'm failing? My parents…"

"Yes, I'm aware of that. Which is why I'm giving you a chance."

"I'll do it. Who would be helping me?"

"Mrs. Nash."

Paige looked up speechless and gaped like a fish.

Dammit, she knew those shoes had been out of style. Fashion gods are evil.

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

"No no no Paige," Ellie smiled, reaching across her slightly to point at the book on the coffee table, her arm brushing across the her thigh lightly. Paige pointedly ignored any and all movements her heart was going through at that moment, concentrating on her grade instead of the touch. 

"See the river symbolized the nastiness he felt in his soul. Weird huh?"

Paige snorted and poked Ellie's arm. "This English stuff is crazy. How could a salty river mean anything about this guy's internal bastardness?"

The redhead shrugged and leaned against the back of the couch, curling over on her side to face Paige more head on. "Really I hate symbolism exercises. I wouldn't blame anyone for slacking off during this section."

Paige cocked her head to the side and mirrored the smaller girl's position against the couch, rubbing her cheek against the fabric. "Why do you say that?"

Ellie moved her hands vaguely, wording her sentence slowly. "Well…I think what you get out of a book…should be exactly that. What YOU got out of it. Not what some English scholar got out of it."

"Well then…what do you see in the river?"

The other girl ducked her head, hiding behind the red curtain of her hair and playing with her fingernails. "It's stupid."

"Hey try me."

The brown eyes didn't raise, but Paige somehow knew that she could still see her and was looking her in the eye as she spoke. "I just…after I found out about Marco…I kind of started seeing it in everyone. Retarded really."

"Not really, I do it too. Dylan's fault. He can find gayness in everything."

Ellie's eyes finally rose and materialized, along with an amused smile. "That's comforting then. Every time I read this book every time they mention falling into to the dirty river…and he's letting out this monstrous side of himself…I sometimes wonder if he's so violent and hateful, not because he's jealous of Finny…but because he wants Finny."

Despite herself, Paige let out a loud and raucous laugh. "So what you're saying is you think Jean is gay?"

"Told you it was stupid," Ellie said defensively, coiling arms around her stomach and sinking tensed fingers into the fabric there.

"Hey, I wasn't making fun. It actually makes sense! Like that line when he's staring at that guy's butt!"

The redhead smiled hugely at this and sat up, dropping her arms to her side. "You do realize that you just admitted to actually reading this book."

Paige's eyes grew wide. "Damn…you're right."

The two girls burst into giggles that lasted several minutes, neither of them noticing nor caring that they leaned against each other for support as they tried to catch their breath. Nor paying attention to the way their laughs were a little more breathy than they rightfully should be.

All Paige cared about was that Ellie was warm…and her hair smelled good.

* * *

"Hey Paige?" 

"Yeah?" she answered, not looking up from the reading exercise she was in the middle of working.

"You're brother's gay. Have you ever…I dunno…wondered about it?"

Paige stopped, looking up with drawn brows and a thoughtful expression. "You mean…have I ever thought about being gay?"

"Yeah," the small girl whispered, toying with the pillow in her lap.

"I guess not. I just assumed I was straight. Guys are hot."

Ellie smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Marco talks to me about it a lot nowadays. It's always rather surreal."

"Why now? Didn't you guys always talk about this stuff?"

"No, I used to kind of despise it. I mean…it's the reason I couldn't have Marco. I guess we talk about it now because now I ask."

Paige gently put down her pencil and stood, walking around to the couch and taking a seat next to fragile looking redhead, running sweaty palms on her jeans. "What are you trying to say hun?"

"I-…I don't know. I just…I think about it sometimes."

"Does it bother you that you do?"

Ellie looked up from her hands for the first time during the conversation and held the blue-green eyes across from her. "No…I always thought it would…but it doesn't."

Paige nodded and smiled encouragingly. "Then don't worry about it. It'll work out in the end."

The redhead blushed at her comment for a reason unknown to her and smiled as brightly as she always seemed to lately. "Thanks Paige. I guess…I needed that. I should probably head back now. Mom doesn't like me out late when she's at sessions."

"Alright. See you."

On impulse, as the redhead moved to stand, Paige lunged forward and pulled the smaller girl into an awkward, uncomfortable and somehow amazingly perfect hug despite the angle. Ellie stiffened but almost instantaneously relaxed and squeezed her back tightly.

After the girl had gone Paige went to bed that night in the same shirt she had worn that day. That in itself would probably set the fashion gods onto her worse than ever before.

But she really couldn't help herself. Ellie smelled good. Simple as that.

* * *

"Marco told me something interesting this evening." 

Paige looked up from the magazine in front of her to see her older brother Dylan towering in her bedroom doorway. There was the beginning of a hickey on his neck. It seemed mean to point it out. She kept quiet.

"What did he tell you?"

The blonde boy stepped away from the doorframe and flopped down on the bed beside her, propping his head on one hand and looking down at her in brotherly adortion.

"Marco told me Ellie's got a lot on her mind lately. And that you've been something like her best friend for about a month now."

Paige reflexively crossed her ankles and lifted her feet into the air, making absent minded movements as she turned the page of Cosmo and somehow saw right through the article on five minutes workouts she had been reading.

She shrugged. "I guess she's not as bad as I made her out to be."

Dylan smiled at her, a dozen pearly whites flashing her way. "She likes you you know?"

"Of course she likes me. I'm an amazing friend."

"No, Paige," her brother cut in, instantly deadly serious. "She likes you."

For several seconds the words didn't dare to filter through her mind, only repeating exhaustingly until they finally just snuffed out of existence. "Are you…are you serious. But…but Ellie's a girl!"

Dylan snorted and ruffled her hair before getting up. "Whatever twerp. Just thought you ought to know. But you didn't hear it from me. I'd hate for it to get out that a high school junior beat me up."

"Ellie wouldn't hurt a fly."

The blonde boy feigned a look of horror. "Who said anything about Ellie!"

Paige busted out laughing at the thought of Marco beating up her older brother and promptly through a shoe at her door to get rid of him, turning back to her magazine with a smile.

For some reason it couldn't seem to go away either.

* * *

"Hey Paige!" 

The blonde closed her locker and pushed her brand new Prada bag farther up her shoulder turning to face the speaker. "Hey hun. How can I help you?"

Marco shook his hair out of his face and stared at her grimly. "Look, I know Dyl told you about El. Don't hurt her okay? She's just scared and needed someone to talk to. I shouldn't have told. She wasn't going to tell you."

Paige cleared her throat pointedly and adjusted her bag again, staring at the floor. Why did this hurt? Why did she care if the other girl ever told her. Ellie was a girl. Who cared?

"Don't worry about it. I actually like being friends with her believe it or not. Plus…hey, English is a breeze now."

Marco nodded. "Okay good. Thanks. I'll see you next weekend."

"You too. By the way," she yelled over the crowd's head as he walked away. "Good job on Dylan's neck! Next time a little higher! He could still hide it from mom this morning!"

Ah, she loved when his ears turned pink.

* * *

"Um, hey Ellie. As boring as this class is I never saw you as one to sleep in class." 

The head of red hair that had been lying in blissful slumber on the desktop jumped to attention at being addressed and startled brown eyes met hers, immediately slipping into the familiar expression reserved for her.

"Wasn't sleeping. Resting my head. Nothing else."

Paige set her stuff down and reached a hand forward, placing it gently on the pale girl's forehead with the intent of checking for fever. Ellie jumped severely at the touch but didn't move, instead closing her eyes in comfort and smiling stupidly.

"Your hands are cold."

"And thank goodness you're not feverish."

Ellie grinned. "Why Paige, I didn't know you cared."

"Are you kidding me? You're my walking, talking English grade. You can't get sick."

Paige caught the slight deflation in her facial expression and jumped in. "I'm kidding. We're friends now. Right?"

The redhead blushed horribly. "Yeah. Friends."

* * *

Ellie was on Paige's couch as always for a Tuesday night. She was curled up on the far left side, curled so tightly she was nothing but a tiny white, red, and black ball. In her hands a book of poetry peeked out around a pillow. Her hair was thrown back in a sloppy ponytail, no makeup, lips moving ever so slightly from time to time when she really hit an emotional passage. 

Paige noticed these things.

"You're staring at me."

The blonde broke from her trance at once and focused on Ellie, who's eyes had not risen from the page at all. "Sorry. Just thinking."

Ah, now she had her attention. Brown eyes lifted from the book, and gazed back inquisitively. "Thinking about what?"

A million replies bounced around her head at the inquiry. Why is your skin so perfect? Why do I feel lonely with you two feet away. How can you curl up like that? Why do I keep staring at you? Why can I smell you from over here?

"Nothing. You just look nice without all that makeup. I can see your eyes."

"Paige," the redhead breathed, eyes softening audibly. "I…I-…thanks."

Paige felt herself shifting further down the couch against her will, her body taking over where her mind was leaving off, closer, closer…without permission and without obvious guilt. "You have…really nice eyes you know?"

The brown eyes across from her, now only about six inches from her own, disappeared slightly beneath long ginger eyelashes, fluttering, appearing, disappearing. The dreamy look flying in and out of view like the sun behind clouds.

"What am I doing?" Paige whispered, only four inches away. Three.

"I…" Ellie began but her words were completely ineffectual, dropping away forgotten without a thought.

"I think….I think I'm going to kiss you."

And without further words Paige felt herself close the distance between herself and the relaxed contours of the other girl's lips, brushing feather soft there and feeling as if she would die of suffocation right then, but sweet breath against her cheek gave her renewed resolve.

Whispered songs of dying leaves and eternal sunshine fell like rain on her fingertips as they rose and glided across the moonstone surface of the girl's cheeks, and flushed neck, smiling into the kiss with an almost childish giggle bubbling up from nowhere.

She was forced to break it, softening the parting with one last sweet kiss on the corner of the other girl's lips, pulling back with a grin worthy of the Cheshire cat.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be."

* * *

Paige looked up from the book and watched as her girlfriend chatted with Marco in the kitchen. Wow…rather scary to say. Girlfriend that is. But somehow infinitely sweet beyond words. How things change. 

From across the room she heard a chair scrape across the floor and seconds later a warm presence pressed against her side and something small and light was placed in her lap. Looking down Paige saw….

The book.

"I thought…I thought maybe you'd like to see it. You were always so adamant about it. It's only fair."

Paige nodded and kissed her quickly, pulling back the cover with almost too much excitement. This is where it had all started. When Ellie had forced her way into her life from overpowering curiosity alone. And now she'd finally know what had vexed her so.

The book was blank.

"El…there's….there's nothing in here."

The redhead beamed like Christmas had come early and plucked the empty diary out of her open fingers throwing it on the floor by their feet.

"Nah, too busy watching you to ever write in it."

Paige smiled.

Hm, maybe she was stupid.

She had been fooled after all.

But that was okay.

Because Ellie still smelled good. And there was kissing now.

Being stupid, Paige decided, was definitely a good thing.

* * *

Review. I know it was crappy. But…reviews really help with the blocks. I swear they're like the most powerful antibiotics available for the strained mind. 


End file.
